Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, yesterday vowed to rid the nation’s capital of syndicates who specialise in offering fake Certificates of Occupancy, C of Os, to unsuspecting members of the public.

He recalled how as governor of Rivers State, three fake C of Os were issued on his plot after paying N57 million.

Wike, who disclosed this at a meeting with estate developers in Abuja, also said he had been able to save over N110 billion since he assumed office in August this year.

He expressed displeasure at the rate at which fake Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) were given, adding that henceforth, N5 million would be paid to acquire a C of O.

According to him, gone are the days unsuspecting members of the public were allocated one plot of land with different fake C of Os.

The minister added that he would seek a presidential approval to add the National Identification Number, NIN, to the requirements for obtaining a C of O.

He gave example of when as governor of Rivers State, he was given a fake C of O by some officials of the FCTA, and faulted the payment of N8.9 billion as monthly salary to FCTA, FCDA workers.

The developers unanimously on their part, pleaded with the minister to reduce the N5 million payment for C of O.

After intensive appeal by the developers, the minister said the payment could be made within four months after which the C of O could be handed over to the applicant.

He said: “I can tell you authoritatively that I have saved not less than N110 billion for FCTA since my assumption of office three months ago.

“Allocation of lands to three or more persons will no longer be allowed. C of O enables you to do business.

“When we take the right decision some people will be happy, some will not. We are ready for such fight.

“When I was governor of Rivers State, we had three C of Os from FCT. Three. It turned out that all were fake. The C of O was coming from FCTA as a government, not as an individual.

The plots allocated or said to be allocated. We paid money. When I now sent the Liaison Officer, the people from FCTA took him to the land and later, we discovered that it was fake land. Look at the money we had paid. The people disappeared. We could not find them again. Over N57 million that we paid. Why? Because that was how it was being done in the FCT. I have said that it will not work again.

“I will seek Mr President’s approval to link any C of O to NIN number, so that we know when this house falls, we will know the owner. So that when a crime is committed in a property, we will know the owner. This is what happens in developed countries. The rich men will kick against it but anything that will help our people must be done.”

“Support this move. There must be sanity in our system. You will attest to the fact that there are changes. How will you feel that at the end of the day you have a C of O but it is fake or that your land is allocated to another person”? (Vanguard)

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